Decoration method

Custom screen printing.

Not all prints are created equal. This is the one built to last.

How screen printing works

We burn a separate screen for each color in your design, then push ink through the mesh straight into the fabric and cure it with heat so it’s locked in. It’s a bit of setup up front, which is exactly why it rewards volume: once the screens are made, the more you run the cheaper each piece gets. The payoff is a bold, hard-wearing print with a proper hand feel, and a huge range of inks and finishes you simply can’t get any other way. Standard print area is up to 15 × 18 in.

Inks and finishes

Plastisol. The industry standard, and the most durable print going. The ink sits on top of the fabric rather than soaking in, so it stays bright and opaque even on black garments and layers colors cleanly. Cured at over 300 degrees, so it’s bonded for good. Best for bold, punchy artwork up to around six colors.
Water-based. Soaks into the fabric and dyes it rather than sitting on top, so there’s almost no hand feel. You can still feel the weave of the shirt. Soft, breathable and premium, and it won’t crack or chip like a heavy print. Best on light cotton and anywhere feel matters, like fashion tees and activewear.
Discharge. Strips the garment’s own dye and re-colors it in one hit, so the print becomes part of the shirt instead of a layer on top. Soft, detailed and breathable on dark cotton, and it’s how you get that washed-out vintage or cracked look while the shirt is still brand new.
High-density. A raised, sharp-edged ink that stands up off the fabric for a bold, tactile, almost 3D finish.
Puff. Ink that rises when it hits heat, for a soft, spongy, embossed look.
Foil. A real metallic finish pressed over adhesive for genuine shine.
Flocking. A soft, suede or velvet texture raised off the fabric.
Reflective & 3M. Sits flat until a light hits it, then lights up. Built for hi-vis and safety gear, and a favorite across skate, surf and streetwear.
Burnout. Eats the cotton out of a cotton-poly blend where the design sits, leaving a sheer poly ghost of the print.
Stretch & silicone. Built for activewear, spandex and performance fabric, stretches with the garment and holds up without cracking or dye migration.

The right ink for the fabric

Not every ink suits every garment. Water-based and discharge react to the fabric, so we match the formula to the blank rather than forcing one recipe onto everything. Polyester and poly-blends can bleed dye up into a print (dye migration), over-dyed fabrics can shift your colors, and coated fabrics can be tricky to hold down. Tell us the garment and we’ll spec an ink that holds up. Not locked on a blank yet? Start with the Garment Guide.

When to choose screen printing

Screen printing is the right call for bold, solid artwork and bigger runs. The more you print, the better the math. If your design is full-color or photographic, or you only need a handful, DTF or DTG will usually look better and cost less. We’ll tell you straight if that’s the case. Ready to pick a garment? Browse the blanks.